Scientist at work in the Millennium Seed Bank vault

Organisational structure, Staff & Heads of Department

Staff level is currently around 800, plus a large emeritus group of honorary research fellows and associates, students and other associated scientists. The staff have a diverse range of expertise, operational and management skills. Some 60% are specialist plant and fungal scientists and botanical horticulturists.

In addition we have the capacity for providing education, training and advice on conservation and sustainable use of plants and fungi, and expertise on the maintenance of historical landscapes and buildings. 

Directorate

  • Director: Professor Stephen Hopper
  • Head of Strategic Projects: Professor Simon Owens
  • Head of Science Policy and Coordination: Dr Eimear Nic Lughadha
  • Directorate Manager: Barbara Lewis

Departments

Herbarium, Library, Art and Archives

Conducts research on plant resource inventories, produces manuals for identifying the plants concerned, and works with the other science departments to prepare classifications capable of predicting the likely distribution of useful properties and evolutionary relationships.

  • Keeper of the Herbarium, Library, Art and Archives: Professor David Mabberley
  • Head of Library, Art and Archives: Christopher Mills
  • Assistant Keeper and Head of Systematics: Dr Dave Simpson
  • Assistant Keeper and Head of Biodiversity, Information and Conventions: Dr Alan Paton
  • Assistant Keeper and Head of Regional Teams and Curation: Dr Rogier de Kok

Jodrell Laboratory

Undertakes pure and applied research on anatomy, biochemistry, cytogenetics, molecular systematics, biosystematics, plant physiology and mycology.

  • Keeper of the Jodrell Laboratory: Professor Mark Chase FRS
  • Deputy Keeper of the Jodrell Laboratory: Professor Monique Simmonds

Seed Conservation

Seed Conservation is home to the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership which aims to facilitate the conservation of 10% of the world's flowering plants as seed by 2010. In addition to their seed banking activity, department staff are involved in various research and technology projects on seed storage, germination and diagnostics.

  • Head of Seed Conservation: Dr Paul Smith

Horticulture and Public Experience

Curates the collection of living plants and provides integrated education and interpretation based on this world-leading resource. The Department supports the organisation's science, conservation and visitor programmes. The living collections are housed within the historical landscapes and buildings at Kew and Wakehurst Place.

  • Head of Horticulture and Public Experience (Curator): Dr Nigel Taylor

Corporate Operations & Finance

  • Director, Corporate Operations and Finance: Andy Burchell

Estates

Provides all the services necessary to plan, maintain and improve a complex and demanding estate, which includes 42 listed buildings, and supervises the work undertaken by contractors.

  • Head of Estates: David Holroyd

Legal & Governance

Looks after legal and contractual issues, and the procedures which ensure the smooth operation of the governing bodies of the organisation.

  • Head of Legal and Governance: Catherine Daniels

Finance

Maintains all the required statutory accounting records and provides management accounts and financial information to the other departments as necessary, and provides the sound basis for financial planning.

  • Head of Finance: Rebecca Bowers

Human Resources

Responsible for personnel management, training and development, and handles staff pay and conditions of service.

  • Head of Human Resources: Elizabeth Smith

Information Technology

  • Chief Information Officer: David Ivell

Communications and Commercial Activities

Formulates and implements our policy on marketing, promotion, events, information and enquiries, press and public relations.

  • Director of Communications and Commercial Activities: Jill Preston

Content & Learning

  • Director of Content and Learning: Professor Angela McFarlane
  • Head of Media Resources and Publishing: Gina Fullerlove
  • Director of Digital Media: Mike Saunders
  • Head of Schools and Families Programme: Christine Newton

Wakehurst Place

 

Related Organisations

RBG Kew Enterprises

The Enterprises company manages operations which are primarily commercial. It covenants its profits to Kew, an arrangement envisaged within the National Heritage Act.

The Foundation and Friends of RBG Kew

The Foundation and Friends has the objective of raising funds for Kew from various sources including corporate donors and sponsors. It also manages Kew's Friends membership scheme.

  • Director of Development, Kew Foundation, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Michael Murphy

Bentham-Moxon Trust

The Bentham-Moxon Trust was set up to provide financial support for botanical collections and research that further the work of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

 

About Kew